1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image processing device and, more particularly, to an image processing device particularly suitable for printing a plurality of frames of an image of an original document in one or more copying papers.
2. Description of the Related Arts
In the case where an original is relatively smaller than the printing material, an image processing device prints a frame of an image of the original only on the small area of the printing material and the remaining area is blank. To minimize such a blank area of the printing material, it is considered to print a plurality of frames on the printing material, hereinafter referred as to "multi-frame printing."
Indeed, the multi-frame printing operation is an effective means to minimize the unnecessary blank area of the printed material, if the original is relatively smaller than the printing material. However, if the original and the printing material are almost the same size, the multi-frame printing operation can not be so profitable
Even in the case where the original is a magnified one, the multi-frame printing is also possible if such a magnified original is reduced to a suitable size for multi-printing. It is needless to say that a suitable reduction or magnification rate represented by the ratio of the printed frame size to the original frame size must be determined prior to the printing operation.
Generally, the reduction/magnification rate can be obtained by the calculations based on the sizes of the original and the printing material, and the required number of frames to be printed. By repeating trial printing based the reduction/magnification rate obtained by the above described calculation, the most suitable reduction or magnification rate will be finally fixed.
Further, in the case where a plurality of frames are printed on a printing paper which is larger than the frame of original, the more frames may be printed on the printing material if the frames are placed as aligned in the lateral direction, i.e., 90.degree. tilted layout with respect to the ordinal vertical layout. The selection of layout, vertical or lateral directions, is left to the user.
Also, the image processing device equipped with various sizes of printing materials are also available so that the user can select the desirable size of printing material. In this case, it is possible to obtain a most effective layout of frames if the user may select the suitable size of printing material in relation to the frame size.
In the multi-frame printing, each frames printed on the printing material will be generally separated each other.
However, as described in the above, in the case where the original is relatively smaller than the printing material, an image processing device of the prior arts prints only one frame on a small area of the printing material with its rested remaining area being blank. This means an extravagance of printing material, time and cost.
Further in the multi-frame printing, if the original and the printing material are almost the same size, it is unavoidable to repeat trial printing to determine the most suitable reduction/magnification rate. In course of these efforts for rate determination, the user must confirm the result of trial printing by observing the relationship between the printed frames and the blank area of the printing material at every trial printing, which is really bothersome and uneconomical task.
Further, since the blank area of the printed material depends on the conditions such as the layout of the frames to be printed on the printing material, the size of the printing material available for use and the layout of the original, it will take considerable time to find a best combination of those conditions to minimize such blank area of printed material, which lowers the efficiency of printing operation entirely.
In any way, the multi-frames printed on one printing material shall be separated each other for use but such separated frames are likely to have various sizes and uncertain configurations.
Further, when the user erroneously selects unsuitable size of printing material, the printed material with an unnecessarily vast blank area will be produced, which is wasteful of time and money.
When the printing material currently in use runs out during the printing operation, the image processing device of the prior art will interrupt the printing and require the user's assistance such as refilling the printing material or selecting the alternative printing material.